How Subsidiary (minor) Entries can be represented in SFM, and how FLEx import interprets it
Beth Bryson
Sep 14, 2020
Both Subentries and Variants are different “entry types” from Main Entries because they are subsidiary to another entry. (In some contexts these are called “minor entries”, but because most of the FLEx documentation has tried to reserve that label for display characteristics, rather than relationships in the database, that label is not used for them in this document. But this document will go ahead and use the label “subentry” for what FLEx calls “Complex Form,” even though that too is more accurate as a format label rather than a structural label.)
In MDF, there are several different ways to represent this subsidiary relationship. The FLEx import also has certain assumptions about how the relationship is expressed. This document explores both of those aspects.
There are three ways to represent a subsidiary entry. Each has different consequences (for SFM publishing paths, and for FLEx import), and not all ways are available to both types of subsidiary entries (Subentries and Variants).
Single-line reference
If a main entry has a field referencing the subentry, and no other information about it, then on FLEx import, an entry will be created for it, with no other information (e.g., gloss or part of speech) other than its relationship to the main entry.
For variants, the field marker is \va.
For subentries, the marker is \se in MDF. In PLB dictionaries, there are different markers for different types of subentries (e.g., \lc for compound, \ld for derivative, \ls for saying, etc.).
Example of single-line Variant:
\lx color
\va colour
\ps n
\de a hue or tint
Example of single-line Subentry:
\lx berry
\ps n
\de a small fruit often grown in the forest
\se blackberry
For variants, this reference can occur at either the entry level or the sense level. For subentries, FLEx only expects to find it at the entry level. I am not completely sure how the SFM publishing paths interpret it if it appears at the sense level.
Embedded entry
This option is only available for subentries, not for variants. (If additional fields are included with a variant, FLEx interprets them as being related to the entry, not the variant.)
If more information about a subentry is provided than just the form, some of this information can be expressed directly in the main entry, in fields immediately after the field providing the headword. However, there are only certain fields that FLEx expects to find in a subentry; other fields are interpreted as being at the entry level. It is best to be conservative about using extra fields in this approach. [May need to verify this last statement. -BB]
Example of embedded subentry:
\lx berry
\ps n
\de a small fruit often grown in the forest
\se blackberry
\ps n
\de a composite berry with a dark purple hue
Same example, indented to show structure:
\lx berry
\ps n
\de a small fruit often grown in the forest
\se blackberry
\ps n
\de a composite berry with a dark purple hue
Extracted entry
A subsidiary entry can occur in SFM as its own entry, and it can have all the fields available to a main entry.
What marks it as a subsidiary entry is if it has the \mn field marker, pointing back to the main entry.
The main entry normally would also have a marker pointing to the subsidiary entry. The marker used in the main entry is the same as for the “single-line reference” option. (If the spelling of the \lx field in the subsidiary entry does not match the spelling in the \va or \se field in the main entry, then extra entries will get created during FLEx import.)
The determining factor for whether an entry with \mn in it is interpreted as a variant or a subentry is how it is referenced in the main entry.
If the main entry has an \se field that matches this \lx, then this \lx is a Subentry.
If the main entry has either \va or no marker referencing this entry, then this entry is a Variant.
Two examples of extracted variants:
\lx color
\va colour <- reference to subsidiary entry
\ps n
\de a hue or tint
\lx colour
\mn color <- reference to primary entry
\ps n
\de a hue or tint
\lx humor
\ps n <- no reference to subsidiary entry
\de something that is funny
\lx humour
\mn humor <- reference to primary entry
\ps n
\ex He has a good sense of humour.
Example of an extracted subentry:
\lx berry
\ps n
\de a small fruit often grown in the forest
\se blackberry <- reference to subsidiary entry
\lx blackberry
\mn berry <- reference to primary entry
\ps n
\ex Peter Rabbit drank blackberry tea.